


accredit

by IantheAbyssWatchingCactus



Series: muleta [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, POV Third Person Limited, Pre-Volume 1 (RWBY)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 01:54:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17819618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IantheAbyssWatchingCactus/pseuds/IantheAbyssWatchingCactus
Summary: Adam comes to a realization.





	accredit

A flash of red. A deafening silence. 

Cruel satisfaction.

That was all Adam Taurus recalled, before he heard a strained cry. Something about freaks? He didn’t truly comprehend it, but he was coherent enough at the time to know it was shouted at him by a human.

The simple and desperate insult incited only an irritated snarl from the bull faunus. What right did they have? To put down others, yet expect no retaliation? No recompense for their unwarranted assault? 

‘Disgusting.’ He thought. This was the exact reason he despised them, their genocidal and bigoted attitudes -

“That wasn’t necessary.” 

Adam’s eye widened slightly as a booming tone cut through his thoughts, body slowly shifting to face the source of the noise - Ghira Belladonna, of course. The leader of the White Fang, his commander. Adam didn’t know why he had to remind himself.

However, Adam’s thoughts were soon preoccupied with the realization that his leader had just chastised him - unnecessary? What was…

Right. That.

The corpse that Adam himself had just created. Rather cautiously, his head turned to the sight of the limp body that currently laid just meters away, surrounded by a puddle of blood. 

Adam did that, didn’t he? He saw his leader and the rest of his comrades approached by a belligerent maniac hellbent on ending their lives, and whilst in a panic and in fear of not being able to reach them in time on foot, Adam activated his semblance. It had been charged by the munitions fire he had absorbed with his blade during his brief skirmish with the other humans, and despite the low levels of energy provided by such attacks, his semblance was nothing if not an amplifier. 

Adam’s head was then hung in shame. He had killed someone. A human. Never before had he done so. Rendering them unconscious? Sure. Maiming, even removing a limb? Absolutely. Never before, however, had he outright killed one of them. 

He hadn’t even remembered doing it, so caught up in the adrenaline of the moment, but the last thing he expected was to be chastised. That man had attacked them, hadn’t he? The humans were allowed to make attempts to end their lives and succeed, so why couldn’t Adam? Why couldn’t the faunus? 

Still, Adam had let down his leader. Ghira was the one who organized the White Fang, wasn't he? Ghira was the one who was taking the fight for equality to the forefront of politics, spurring civil rights rallies and protests. Adam owed a lot to that man, and the last thing he intended was to disappoint him.

Adam was also ashamed of himself, however.

He had enjoyed it.

The rush of adrenaline, the beating and putting down of the cruel race that had subdued him, tortured him, branded him like cattle. The rush of unsheathing his blade and catching a glimpse of the light as it left the man’s eyes when Moonslice cut through him like butter. 

Adam’s left eye twitched. What was he thinking? He felt sick to his stomach. Ghira had always protested using violent or lethal methods against the humans, which was made clear by the words Adam heard in the midst of his thoughts about the subject.

“This is the very reason they think they can-” 

“Ghira!” A much lighter, but equally as recognizable voice cut through the booming criticism being delivered by their leader. 

Ghira was right, violence would only beget further violence, so Adam struggled to understand the words that left Sienna’s mouth after she called their leader's name.

“He saved your life! He’s a hero!”

Adam froze. A hero...? 

Was he...?

No, he couldn't be.

Adam’s conscience seemed to be corrected as his many comrades surrounded him, clapping and singing his praises. 

He had even heard one of them denote how "amazing" what he did was.

Adam couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Mouth slightly ajar, Adam peered up at his fellow faunus as they approached closer. Was it that impressive? He was just following orders. And he had killed a man, surely that wasn’t something to be proud of…? Adam had just mentally berated himself for thinking so, after all.

But maybe, just maybe...

Adam did not catch wind of the suggestive glare shared by his two higher-ups, as he seemed to reach a sort of epiphany. 

Most things are only bad in excess, right?

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go! Just another Adam-centric fic I decided to write. Technically a partner story to purblind, I just decided to write more about my totally-non-toxic-favorite-character. I just feel as though his character was somewhat wasted, and it soothes my soul slightly to write these sorts of things. Feel free to leave criticism!


End file.
